The Middle East & Latin America

A primary challenge of our globalized world today, is to be able to appropriately address an individual with a different cultural background. In order to overcome this issue, we must learn what are the general social norms and behaviors of other cultures. In the following pages, I will compare and contrast Latin American culture and the Middle Eastern cultures. I will do so by using three of Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions.

One of Hofstede’s dimensions is called Long Term Orientation Versus Short Term Normative Orientation. This explains how different societies keep some of their traditions and norms, despite the challenges of present and future modern change; while others encourage change for modernization (Hofstede, 2010). For instance, a great majority in the Middle eastern countries, work very hard to preserve their traditions in the present time. For example, the food they eat and the way they eat it. They’re food consists mainly of rice, red meat and vegetables and they eat using their hands. The ways they interact with each other, which is always very respectful and welcoming, including the relationships between men and women (later in the paper), and finally marriage arrangements. This is most common in very traditional tribes and strict families. In the other hand, most of the Latin American countries, are somehow leaving their traditions behind, and moving forward towards society change and modernization. In contrast to the Middle East, Latin Americans don’t have such thing as arrange marriages or eat with their hands. In comparison, Latin American people are as welcoming and respectful to other individuals. Traditions are one of the key factors to differentiate people from other countries, and if a society forgets and stops practicing those traditions then the culture is basically gone. So its good to keep a middle ground between becoming modernized and leaving all traditions in the past.

The next cultural dimension by Hofstede, that help us understand differences and similarities between cultures is called Masculinity Versus Femininity. In these dimension Hofstede explains the gender role difference, quoting “tough versus tender” (Hofstede, 2010). Still today, not just in Latin America or the Middle East we see things such as men are meant to be tough and girls are the cute ones, but in these case there is a very clear difference between the Middle East and Latin America. For example, in the Middle East women are seen as gold meaning that they are precious, and therefore they should be taken great care of. The ways in which they do so is mainly by covering them in order for other men not to see them (religious motives mainly). Another example of how they do it in some of the Middle Eastern countries, is when a woman leaves the house and goes out, she has to go with at least one men, to assure her safety. Surely it sounds just a little over protecting, but it also makes women look like they have less power then men. Also in the Middle East, specially in Saudi Arabia, masculinity represents a preference in society. Certainly less than years ago but its still present. In Latin America women and men are equal. They share the same rights in the eyes of the law. Women don’t need to be covered, instead they dress very nice and sometimes even a little provocative. Also women can go out by themselves if they want to. In conclusion there is no gender preference in they’re culture.

The final dimension I will use by Hofstede is the Indulgence Versus Restraint. In here Hofstede describes it as how some societies suppress gratification of needs and regulates it with strict social norms, while other societies are relatively free to enjoy life and have fun (Hofstede, 2010). Saudi Arabia for example, is a country in which their social norms are really strict. The relationship between men and woman in this country is the main example. For instance, men and woman are not allowed to date, or be together in public unless they are married or relatives. Schools are not mixed unless is an international school. And for the most part even in social areas like restaurants there will be a division, an area for men, an area for women or a family area. There are places like hookah bars, where women are not allowed. There are no cinemas or bars. As you can see, Saudi government takes a lot of effort in avoiding what for the majority is social gratification. These examples are not for all the Middle Eastern countries, but for the most part it is very similar. In Latin America, there are stereotypes that say that Latinos/Latinas are more fun and wild. Which is true. In Latin America you can do pretty much anything. You can date and go to bars, malls, cinemas, bowling allies, house parties and more. Schools are mixed for the most part. Finally, there are no restricted areas for just one gender.

With all that has been stated before, its easy to say that both cultures are totally different. There are a couple things that are very important in both cultures, that makes them very similar. The first one is Family Values. Marcia Carteret states that Latinos are highly group-oriented. Family is the major source of one’s identity and protection. This sense of family belonging is intense and limited to family and close friends (2011). This is the same case with the Middle East. In fact, in the Middle East family closeness is the most important value.

The second characteristics that make both cultures similar are the verbal and non verbal communication. In both Latin American and Middle Eastern cultures, they share many common characteristics of how they communicate. For instance, personal space. When people from these cultures have a conversation with another person, the distance between each other is very close. They also say hello with a kiss on the cheek and touch each others shoulders or hands whenever they are talking. A lot of non verbal factors also take place in these conversations, they use many facial expressions and hand gestures that somehow are easy to understand when they aren’t verbally speaking.

In conclusion both cultures, just like any other culture in the world have their own social norms and traditions. Even when we see that they look very different from one another, there are still things in common. Cultures are a beautiful part of one’s identity and should be taken care of. Some things in all cultures should also improve as time goes by, but always having that one thing that keeps you attached with the past generations.

Works Cited

Hofstede, G., (2010). Cultures and Organizations: Software of The Mind. Retrieved from http://geert-hofstede.com/national-culture.html

Carteret, M., (2011). Cultural Values of Latino Patients and Families. Retrieved from http://www.dimensionsofculture.com/2011/03/cultural-values-of-latino-patients-and-families/